Mid-Western Region, Nigeria
Encyclopedia
The Mid-Western Region was a division of Nigeria
from 1963 to 1991, from 1976 being known as the Bendel state.
It was formed in June 1963 from Benin and Delta provinces of the Western Region
, and its capital was Benin City
. It was renamed a province in 1966, and in 1967 when the other provinces were split up into several states, it remained territorially intact, becoming a state.
During the Nigerian Civil War
, the Biafran forces invaded the new Mid-Western state, en route to Lagos, in an attempt to force a quick end to the war. While under Biafran occupation, the state was declared as the "Republic of Benin" as Nigerian forces were to retake the region. The republic collapsed a day after the declaration as Nigerian troops overtook Benin City.
In 1976 it lost Ughelli
to the new Rivers state and was renamed Bendel. This was subdivided into Delta and Edo in 1991.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
from 1963 to 1991, from 1976 being known as the Bendel state.
It was formed in June 1963 from Benin and Delta provinces of the Western Region
Western Region, Nigeria
The Western Region was a subdivision of the federation of Nigeria until 1967. Its capital was at Ibadan.It was established in the 1930s under British rule as a subdivision of the Southern Nigeria colony...
, and its capital was Benin City
Benin City
Benin City, is a city and the capital of Edo State in southern Nigeria. It is a city approximately twenty-five miles north of the Benin River. It is situated 200 miles by road east of Lagos...
. It was renamed a province in 1966, and in 1967 when the other provinces were split up into several states, it remained territorially intact, becoming a state.
During the Nigerian Civil War
Nigerian Civil War
The Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Nigerian-Biafran War, 6 July 1967–15 January 1970, was a political conflict caused by the attempted secession of the southeastern provinces of Nigeria as the self-proclaimed Republic of Biafra...
, the Biafran forces invaded the new Mid-Western state, en route to Lagos, in an attempt to force a quick end to the war. While under Biafran occupation, the state was declared as the "Republic of Benin" as Nigerian forces were to retake the region. The republic collapsed a day after the declaration as Nigerian troops overtook Benin City.
In 1976 it lost Ughelli
Ughelli
Ughelli is a town in Delta State, Nigeria. The city of Ughelli has an 'Ovie', which is the traditional ruler. The indigenes of Ughelli town have a yearly celebration festival called 'Omanuku'...
to the new Rivers state and was renamed Bendel. This was subdivided into Delta and Edo in 1991.